Join Navajo guides Eric and Charlene Atene and a CFI Naturalist on this hiking trip at Navajo Mountain with a focus on the traditional Dinė way of life. Navajo Mountain lies near the Arizona and Utah border and rises to a height over 10,000 feet. Navajo Mountain is considered sacred to the Dinė or Navajo people and they call this place Naatsis’aan, which means “Head of the Earth Woman.”

Canyonlands Field Institute is pairing up with Dinė guides Eric and Charlene Atene to offer a very unusual hiking and cultural experience. For five nights and five days we will explore the area and learn about the Dinė culture past and present. We will set up a base camp and hike in the area around and on Navajo Mountain, and hike with day packs only while a truck takes our overnight and kitchen gear separately to outback camps.

This trip’s itinerary remains somewhat exploratory in nature, varying with time of year and interests. We take 3-4 mile hikes (one way) each day in the maze-like wonderland that lies between the Mountain and the San Juan River. We will get up on the Mountain by foot or vehicle during our trip at least once for one of the most fantastic views on the Colorado Plateau.

We will see signs of prehistoric Archaic and Ancestral Puebloan cultures as well as many picturesque historic Navajo trails and hogans. We have a rare opportunity to visit Eric’s mother Rose, who raises sheep and is an accomplished basketmaker. We have the rare opportunity to hike where few Anglos do. CFI Naturalist Guide will provide meals and share knowledge of the geology and ecology of the area to round out your trip.